A large fire department and police response is on scene at a fatal house fire in McLean, near the Arlington border.
The fire was reported around 9:15 a.m. on the 4000 block of Ridgeview Circle, in the Chain Bridge Forest neighborhood just south of the GW Parkway.
Palestine Rally in Pentagon City — On Saturday afternoon: “Palestine rally at S. Hayes + Army Navy Drive in Pentagon City. Expect delays.” [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]
VHC Details New Facility Plan — “Nearly a year after revealing initial plans to establish a behavioral health and rehabilitation facility in Arlington, VHC Health has disclosed more details about the project: It wants to build a 146-bed acute-care hospital to provide psychiatric and addiction treatment. The nonprofit health system submitted a letter of intent Monday to the Virginia Department of Health indicating it will apply for a certificate of public need for the hospital at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road.” [Washington Business Journal]
A woman was shot this afternoon in the Green Valley neighborhood.
The shooting happened around 1 p.m., reportedly near the intersection of S. Kemper Road and S. Oxford Street. Photos taken afterward show a crime scene along nearby S. Four Mile Run Drive.
To find a parking spot in Ballston, go during the daytime, avoid Wilson Blvd and Fairfax Drive, and consider parking in nearby Virginia Square, which has many empty blocks.
To park in Clarendon, good luck finding a spot on Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Generally, there are more spots south of Washington Blvd but be on the lookout: spots can open up quickly as people do not stay parked in Clarendon for long.
Crews are working to clean up a park and a trail following Monday’s house explosion in Bluemont.
Arlington County provided an update about the incident late Thursday afternoon, noting that the exact cause of the explosion — which followed a police standoff with a resident now presumed dead — remains unknown.
It’s Hanukkah — The Jewish festival of Hanukkah started last night. Public menorah lightings are planned in Clarendon and Pentagon City are planned on Sunday and Monday. [ARLnow]
Federal Funds for Long Bridge — “Virginia has received $729 million in federal money that advances a plan to boost train capacity over the Potomac River and grow passenger rail operations within the decade, members of the state’s congressional delegation announced Thursday. The grant will support construction of a new Long Bridge, which is projected to cost nearly $2.3 billion.” [Washington Post, Twitter]
Eighteen properties formerly within a special “revitalization district” in Cherrydale will soon officially be eligible for redevelopment with 2- to 6-unit homes.
On Monday, the Arlington Planning Commission unanimously adopted changes to the county’s General Land Use Plan map that removed 18 properties from the boundaries of the Cherrydale revitalization district, outlined in the 1994 Cherrydale Revitalization Plan.
(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) When the GoFundMe campaign for the Smith family launched 24 hours ago, it had a goal of raising $50,000. As of publication, it has raised about $140,000.
An outpouring of support for the family that lost everything in the explosion of their Bluemont duplex has been attracting donations from across Arlington, the region and the country. More than 2,000 have donated so far, including individuals and local groups.
More on House Explosion Suspect — “The Virginia man presumed to have been killed when his house exploded while cops tried to serve a search warrant had posted rambling conspiracy theories — and filed frivolous lawsuits, including one accusing his ‘witch’ ex-wife of committing him ‘against his will’ in New York.” [New York Post]
What’s Left of the House — From ABC 7’s Tom Roussy: “For the first time since Monday night’s house explosion in Arlington, police have opened up North Burlington St. and we are getting a close look at the destruction left behind.” [Twitter]
(Updated at 12:20 a.m. on 12/7/23) After a 2-year search for new digs, Arlington Independent Media is on the cusp of moving from its long-time headquarters in Clarendon.
Next week, Arlington’s public access TV channel, community radio station and media training provider intends to sign a lease for space in Courthouse Plaza, says its CEO Whytni Kernodle. The building is owned by JBG Smith and home to Arlington County headquarters.
Former Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos is taking a top job in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.
Stamos lost her reelection bid in 2019, defeated in the Democratic primary by now-Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti. Once Arlington’s top prosecutor, today Stamos was named the state’s Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
Sometime next year, three residential streets in Arlington without sidewalks could get upgrades to allow for safer pedestrian and cyclist use.
To help address demonstrated safety and access issues on S. Lynn Street, N. Wakefield Street and 12th Street S., Arlington County’s Neighborhood Complete Streets Program is considering piloting “shared streets.”
